Abdulaziz Sager
Chairman
Gulf Research Center
While it is a matter of conjecture that the Middle East, with the most amount of energy resources, is now also the theater of utmost uncertainty in the security realm, the effort to strike a new Russia-Gulf chord, however, is a deliberate design.
While commercial interests lie at the heart of Russia's renewed interest in the Gulf, two strategic factors explain its interest in the region. First, Russia's slow but sure reemergence as a great power makes it necessary for Moscow to showcase its clout, especially after the ouster of Saddam Hussein in Iraq; and second, the concern that the Middle East security scenario and its spin-off could hurt the Caucasus and Central Asia, and perhaps Russia too.
As a result, Russia is positioning itself as a potential contributor of diplomatic services to stabilize the region. In the process, it is unlikely to challenge the American hegemony in the region, but will strive to serve reminders to the regional countries and the United States that it is capable of plugging several gaps.
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